Singapore's Chinatown and Clark Quay

This is my concluding post on my Singapore trip. For my earlier posts, go here, here, here, and here.

I was fortunate that the hotel I stayed in, The Scarlet, was located strategically in Chinatown. From the hotel lobby, turn right and as you descend Ann Siang Hill, you would see the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum, a popular tourist attraction.

If you want to sample hawker-style Singaporean food, Maxwell Food Center is just down another corner form the hotel. This is where I tasted what to me is the best Hainanese Chicken, the Tian Tian Chicken Rice, which I featured earlier.

Pictured below is the Red Dot Design Museum. I wasn't able to visit the building. Perhaps next time. 

I love how they reused old buildings, maintaining the facade, and painting them in brilliant hues. Above is the Red Dot Museum, which exhibits the latest trends in the international design scene. I made a mental note to drop by here on my next visit.

Below is the Jinrikisha Station in Tanjong Pagar, the first area targeted for conservation by the city-state in the 80s. This used to issue licenses for rickshaws, but now houses cafes, bars, and restaurants. 

old buildings repurposed for modern use at amoy street

On my last day day, a Sunday, another Singapore-based friend treated me to lunch at bak kut teh institution Song Fa located near Clark Quay. This branch has been around for ages, and was packed with the Sunday lunch crowd. For more, click here. 

More pictures below of Clark Quay, a historic riverside wharf named after Singapore's second governor. The quay is located upstream from the mouth of the Singapore river, and  was the center of trade during the city-state's colonial period. The area has been transformed into a commercial, residential, and entertainment precinct. 

This is where my friend's office is located. Imagine walking to this building everyday.

View of the river and surrounding environs from the office.

The Central Mall just across Clark Quay 

This concludes the series of posts on my trip to Singapore. My take-away from the experience: say yes to possibilities. I'll be back in Singapore for more adventures. "Til then.